Many appliances such as laundry machines are controlled by a control panel located on an outside surface of the machine. Generally, the control panel displays information including machine status and washing/drying cycle options. The control panels of many laundry machines are permanently affixed to the outside surface of a cabinet during the manufacturing process, often through the use of hardware such as screws or bolts. Routine maintenance or diagnosing problems with the laundry machine may require removal of the control panel. The amount of time and expertise required to safely remove the control panel of many appliances may be problematic due to their permanent attachment.
Even in appliances without permanently attached control panels, removing a control panel may be difficult. Wiring connecting the appliance to the instrumentality on the control panel is often difficult to work around and may have to be removed prior to maintenance, especially if the control panel needs to be replaced by a new part. Furthermore, a control panel that is completely removed from the appliance leaves exposed vulnerable parts and instrumentality that subsequently may be damaged during maintenance.
In addition to the challenges associated with assembly and disassembly of control panels on various appliances, the control panels of many appliances are made up of many parts which are costly to manufacture due to tooling costs for unique parts. A complex molding process may lead to weaknesses in some control panel parts. In some cases, weaknesses in control panel parts may result in breakage over time, especially when the control panel is installed on appliances, such as laundry machines (e.g., washers and dryers), that are designed to perform functions that cause frequent and/or strong vibrations. Further, the proliferation of appliance parts requires many appliance manufacturers to keep a constant supply of parts for current machines and costs for storage and replacement of parts are often passed on to consumers.